


Feelings 101 With Prof. Semi

by OutlawLord



Series: Long-Suffering Prof. Semi [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Semi Eita is So Done, it's legit one line, minor semi eita/shirabu kenjirou - Freeform, you have to really squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-17
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27068452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OutlawLord/pseuds/OutlawLord
Summary: Ushijima isn't the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to his emotions. Semi is somehow roped into helping him figure it all out. Tendou doesn't know what's wrong with his best friend, or why he's doing best friend things like talking about feelings with Semi.
Relationships: Tendou Satori/Ushijima Wakatoshi
Series: Long-Suffering Prof. Semi [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2048651
Comments: 13
Kudos: 170





	Feelings 101 With Prof. Semi

“Semi,” Ushijima calls just before they all start leaving the gym, “I must speak with you immediately, I have an urgent matter that requires your expertise.”

The setter sighs exasperatedly and begrudgingly allows himself to be led to the storage room. He sees out of the corner of his eye Tendou watching them, eyes flicking between them as if he can see some invisible connection tying them together. Semi catches the redhead’s eye, and raises a questioning brow. Tendou smiles a strange little smile before leaving.

Once they’re by themselves, Ushijima says bluntly, “I believe I may be experiencing sadness.”

“I’m sorry, Ushijima, you’re going to have to be more detailed.”

“Ah, I see.” He stands there, silently staring at Semi. Any other person would probably be terrified out of their minds, with Ushijima staring into their souls like that, but after the past week, Semi thinks he’s getting used to it.

It all started two weeks ago, on Friday, when there was no practice because the coach had fallen ill. Semi found himself walking around town with Ushijima, looking for a place to eat. It was rare when they went out, just the two of them, but Tendou had some studying to do for a test, so he had told them to go somewhere and just bring something back for him. “I just kind of feel empty, you know?” Semi was saying. “I mean, practice is exhausting and no one in their right mind would like it- don’t even start, Ushijima, you’re not normal- but I feel like I should be practicing right now. It’s- I miss it, I guess.”

“Is that what you feel when you miss something?” Ushijima asked. “You feel… empty?”

“Uh, yeah?” Semi stopped walking, and Ushijima, noticing this, stopped too. “Do you not know what it feels like to miss something?”

“I did not think I did,” he said, sounding a bit surprised himself. “All my life, I have never wanted for anything but to have a volleyball in my hands. However, if to miss something means to feel empty without it… I suppose I miss my father.”

“You suppose?”

“I have not given it much thought before.” The captain scratched his head sheepishly, and that’s strange. Semi felt like he’d stumbled into an alternate dimension where Ushijima feels feelings. “I have lived without him for so long. I have lived with this sensation of there being something missing for so long. I thought everyone felt it. I have often heard people speak of their missing halves. Is this not unlike that?”

Semi sighed, and began walking again, Ushijima at his side. Semi knew there was a fried chicken place around here somewhere that Tendou would love. “There’s a bit of a difference. For one, your love for your father is platonic. What people are talking about when they say their ‘other half’ or ‘missing half’ is usually romantic love.”

Ushijima’s eyes widened. “There is more than one type of love?” he asked, bewildered. “This all seems unnecessarily complicated. Why can we not simply say that we love each other?”

“Because,” Semi patiently explained, “you feel different kinds of love for everyone, so words were created to match those feelings. You know, I love you, but platonically, meaning I don’t want to kiss you, or, I don’t know, have sex with you? That’s all romantic love.”

Ushijima thought about it, and he supposed it made sense. He did not wish to kiss or have sexual intercourse with his father, nor did he want the same with Semi. However…

“Just because you wish to kiss someone does not mean you love them,” Ushijima pointed out, like a smart-talking brat. Semi gritted his teeth and wondered why this conversation, of all conversations, was the one he had to have with Ushijima, who is quite literally the least in touch with his emotions to a spectacular degree. “How do you know what you feel for someone is romantic love?”

“Well,” Semi said, actively trying to keep from thinking of a particular person with stupid-looking straight bangs while answering the question, “you know it’s romantic love if you want to kiss them and all that, but you also want to talk with them for a long time, or even just hang out with them, without even talking. You want to always be by their side, and you want them to feel the same. When they’re not with you, you feel…empty. You miss them.”

“Ah,” Ushijima said, before falling silent. The way he was glaring at the ground made it look as if the earth had done him a personal disservice. Semi caught sight of the chicken shop just then. He grabbed onto Ushijima’s arm, because he was confident that if he left the captain alone to follow him, he would most definitely get lost.

It was right after they placed their order for the chicken when Ushijima startled Semi by suddenly declaring, “I believe I might feel romantic love for Tendou.”

And since that moment, Ushijima had, unfortunately for Semi, been going to the pinch server for emotional guidance. Semi thinks to himself as Ushijima continues staring into his eyes, that he should be regarded as a saint among saints, the man with the greatest patience in the world, for being able to put up with Ushijima’s incessant innocent pondering.

“Tendou is not speaking to me,” he finally says. “I suppose I miss him, but I feel physical pain. It hurts in my chest. The pain makes it hard for me to breathe, and it was affecting my performance during practice, as I am sure you noticed.” Semi didn’t notice anything off at all, but he did notice Tendou’s concerned glances thrown Ushijima’s way. God, he laughs to himself in his head, they’re both so dumb and oblivious. “In addition, my concern over my relationship with Tendou has taken precedence in my thoughts. I am finding it difficult to concentrate on anything else.”

“That is what happens when you love someone,” Semi sighs. Ushijima’s eyes widen, and his cheeks flush slightly. Semi rolls his eyes. “You’re the one that said it first yourself,” he reminds the embarrassed ace.

“Well, yes, but I was not quite sure what my feelings are yet. Having another person determine it for me so definitively was slightly startling.”

Semi pinches his nose in exasperation. “Are you sure about your feelings now?” Ushijima nods sharply. His hair kind of flops on his head, because it’s starting to get long. Semi coughs through his laughter.

“Alright, so, you’re sad, because Tendou’s been avoiding you?” Semi asks. Ushijima nods again, and Semi has to make a conscious effort not to stare at the boy’s hair. “Why don’t you just, you know, tell him? Like you’ve always done every time something bothers you?”

Ushijima sighs heavily, and says, “I cannot ask him, for he has asked me to leave him alone. He specifically requested that I not hang around him. He says my time would be better spent with you, instead.”

“Excuse me?” Semi asks, breathing slowly in through his nose, out through his mouth. He clenches his fists. The captain is quick to jump to the redhead’s defence.

“I also did not wish to approach Tendou without being able to concisely convey my emotions, which I have not, until this moment, been completely sure of.”

“Okay, Ushijima, I’m going to go talk to Tendou, and then afterwards, you’re going to talk to him, too.” Ushijima nods that sharp nod, hair flopping enthusiastically.

Semi sighs as he walks to the changing room. No one is still there; he and Ushijima had been talking for longer than he thought. He finishes changing just as Ushijima enters the room, having finished locking up. They give a slight bow to each other in greeting, and Semi hurries off to find Tendou.

The middle blocker is lying in bed reading manga when Semi knocks hard on his dorm door. Tendou opens it after a few seconds, and Semi, without greeting him, declares, “I’m not dating Ushijima.” Tendou blinks, and then steps aside to allow Semi into his room.

After closing the door after him, Tendou replies casually, “Why do you think I care? Wakatoshi-kun can date or not date whoever he wants.”

Semi sits down on Tendou’s bunk, and stares long and hard at the redhead, who stares back blankly. God, Semi thinks, I really don’t understand him.

“I think you like him,” Semi states bluntly. “And even if you don’t, you’ve stopped hanging out with Ushijima as often as he’s used to. He’s going through withdrawal.”

“Withdrawal?” Tendou asks, amused but also concerned. “I didn’t know Wakatoshi-kun did drugs. I wish he would have told me; we could have experienced it together.”

“No, you idiot,” Semi sighs. He feels like screaming, pulling out his hair, and shooting himself all at once. “He’s addicted to you. He’s getting all sad that you aren’t talking to him. Why would you tell him to stay away? You know he’s going to listen to you.”

Tendou sits down next to Semi on the bed. “That’s exactly why I told him to stay away,” Tendou says, leaning back onto the bed. “He listens so well to me.” Semi rolls his eyes and lies down next to Tendou. With their legs hanging off the edge of the bed, it should feel uncomfortable, but it actually doesn’t.

After a long bout of silence, Tendou finally says, “I think Wakatoshi-kun is more comfortable talking to you.”

“What?” Semi turns to look at Tendou, but his eyes are closed.

“When you went to get food while I was studying. I could tell something had been bothering him, but when you guys came back, he looked… relieved? And he didn’t tell me what he had to say, or anything. He always tells me everything.”

Semi groans, and through gritted teeth he hisses, “How in the nine circles of hell is he going to tell you what he’s thinking when you’re avoiding him?”

The guess blocker turns to look at him, only to overdramatically roll his eyes and turn his head back to the ceiling. “There’s no point in trying to talk to him if he only wants to talk to you. We’re always honest to each other. If Wakatoshi-kun doesn’t want to be honest, I don’t want to speak to him.”

Semi can feel his brain melting. “Ushijima is willing to be honest, now. He told me. You have to allow him to talk to you. Anyway, you guys are best friends. He’s bound to tell you everything eventually.”

Tendou’s eyes open wide at this. “You’re right!” he exclaims. He pushes himself out of bed. “I’m going to go talk to Wakatoshi-kun! I’ll get to the bottom of this!” He goes skipping out of the room, leaving Semi lying on the bed awkwardly.

“I really don’t understand him,” Semi mutters to himself.

Tendou runs out of the dorm building, only to find Ushijima at the entrance.

“Waka-waka!” he exclaims.

“Tendou,” Ushijima greets. “I was hoping to talk to you.”

“I wanted to talk to you, too! Walk with me.”

Ushijima follows Tendou obediently. To the rest of the world, he’s the stone cold number one ace of high school volleyball in Japan, but to the Guess Monster, he’s just like an adorable puppy.

“I want to know what you’re thinking,” Tendou says matter-of-factly. “Something’s been bothering you for some time, but you haven’t told me. Waka-waka, aren’t we best friends? Best friends tell each other everything, you know.”

Ushijima nods. His hair flops, and Tendou smiles. He makes a note in the back of his mind to drag Ushijima to a hair salon.

“I am well aware of the fact that best friends tell each other everything,” Ushijima begins, “but I did not want to speak with you on this matter until I had become absolutely sure of what I was feeling.”

“And what are you feeling?”

“I hold romantic feelings of love for you, Tendou. I wish to hold your hand, take you on dates, and kiss you goodnight.” Is that… is Waka-waka blushing?

Tendou is stunned into silence for a few seconds, but then he huffs a small laugh. “You hate that stuff. You can’t watch romcoms with me because of it. You don’t think it’s practical.”

“You make me want to do impractical things,” Ushijima says, slowly reaching out his hand. Tendou moves his arm forward as well, and grabs Ushijima’s hand. Their fingers intertwine, and Ushijima gifts Tendou with a rare smile. “I feel an almost concerning amount of romantic affection for you. Do you feel the same as well?”

Tendou smiles teasingly to hide his nervousness. “What, you want me to be your boyfriend?” Please say yes, I’ll die if you don’t say yes, please, please say yes. Ushijima nods enthusiastically, his hair flopping in a strange way, and Tendou can basically see a dog’s tail frantically wagging behind the Shiratorizawa captain. Cute, he thinks.

“I do, too,” Tendou says quietly. “I would very much like to be your boyfriend.”

Ushijima squeezes his hand and smiles. “Then you are.”

Tendou smiles and squeezes back. It almost feels like a dream. Then he uses their conjoined hands to start dragging him out of the school.

“Where are we going?” Ushijima asks, even as he quickens his steps to match Tendou’s pace.

“Hair salon. You need to do something about your hair. It’s getting a little long.”

“It does not get in my way during volleyball. My hair is fine as it is.”

“Waka-waka,” Tendou complains. “Cut your hair. For your boyfriend?” He gives the captain his biggest puppy eyes and presses his body close to the other’s.

Ushijima looks down at where their hands are intertwined. “For you,” he almost whispers, “I would do anything.”

Ushijima says it with such conviction, Tendou can’t help but believe it.

Back in Tendou’s dorm, Semi watches out the window as the two idiots swing their joined hands as they practically skip out of school. “Thank god they’re finally together, now they’ll leave me alone,” Semi whispers to himself, completely unaware of the fact that he will become their relationship counselor in about two weeks, when Ushijima gets himself a persistent fangirl and a jealous boyfriend.

For now, everything’s perfect.


End file.
